Chapter 3 Choosing a Solaris Installation Method (Overview)

This chapter describes the different installation technologies.
The Solaris operating environment provides several methods for installation
or upgrade. Each installation technology offers different features that are
designed for specific installation requirements and environments. Choose the
technology that is most appropriate for your environment.

Solaris Web Start Installation Program

The Solaris Web Start installation program on
the Solaris 9 DVD or Solaris 9 Installation CD can be run with a graphical
user interface (GUI) or with a command –line interface (CLI). The Solaris Web Start
program guides you step-by-step through installing or upgrading the Solaris
software and additional software. You can install with the default option,
or you can use the customize option to install only the software you want.

If you are new to the Solaris operating environment or to UNIX®, the Solaris Web Start program enables you to
easily move forward and back during the installation to make changes as necessary.
Installation tasks are divided into panels that offer default values for you
to select.

Because the Solaris Web Start program prompts you to enter information, you
have to interact with the installation program. Consequently, this installation
method might not be the most efficient method when you have to install or
upgrade several systems. For batch installations of a large number of systems,
use custom JumpStart or the Solaris Flash installation feature.

Solaris suninstall Program

The Solaris suninstall program on
the Solaris 9 Software 1 of 2 CD is run with a command-line interface (CLI). The Solaris suninstall program
guides you step-by-step through installing or upgrading to the Solaris 9
software. This installation method is good if you have insufficient memory
to run a GUI and are running international locales.

The Solaris suninstall program only installs the Solaris operating environment
software. This program does not know of third–party applications or
network downloadable software. You must install third–party applications
after you have installed the Solaris operating environment. Also, you are
prompted to enter system configuration information during installation, so suninstall is not the most efficient installation method for installing
several systems. The Solaris Web Start program enables you to install third-party
applications. Or, for batch installations of a large number of systems, use
custom JumpStart or the Solaris Flash installation feature.

Custom JumpStart Installation Method

The custom JumpStart installation method is a command–line interface
that enables you to automatically install or upgrade several systems, based
on profiles that you create. The profiles define specific software installation
requirements. You can also incorporate shell scripts to include preinstallation
and postinstallation tasks. You choose which profile and scripts to use for
installation or upgrade. The custom JumpStart installation method then installs
or upgrades the system.

If you know the Solaris operating environment and the shell, and have
multiple systems to install, the custom JumpStart installation method might
be the most efficient way for you to install your systems.

If you plan to install only a few systems, this installation method
is less efficient. The creation of a custom JumpStart environment might be
so time–consuming that you do not save time by using this installation
method.

Solaris Flash Installation Feature

The Solaris Flash installation feature
allows you to install many systems, based on a configuration that you install
on a master system. After you install and configure the master system, you
create a Solaris Flash archive from the master system. You can create
as many Solaris Flash archives as you need. You choose which Solaris Flash
archive to install on each different system. This installation method enables
you to efficiently install many systems with the same software and configuration.

When you use any of the Solaris installation methods and you do not
select to install a Solaris Flash archive, the installation method installs
each Solaris package individually. The package-based installation method is
time consuming because the installation method must update the package map
for each package. Solaris Flash archives install on your system much
faster than when you install each of the individual Solaris packages.

Each of the Solaris installation methods enables you to replicate an
initial installation of a Solaris Flash archive. The Solaris Web Start installation
method and the Solaris suninstall program prompt you to select the Solaris Flash
archive that you want to install. If you are performing a custom JumpStart
installation, you specify the Solaris Flash archive that you want to
install in the profile file. If you are performing a Solaris Live Upgrade,
you specify the Solaris Flash archive that you want to install on the
inactive boot environment.

If you want to update a previously installed clone system, you can install
changes with a differential archive. With the custom Jumpstart installation
method, the differential archive can install archives that contain only the
differences between two system images.

If you have many different configurations that you want to install on
your systems, you need a Solaris Flash archive for each system. Solaris Flash
archives are large files and require a significant amount of disk space. Also,
after you create a Solaris Flash archive, you cannot change the archive.
If you have many different installation configurations or if you want the
flexibility to change your installation configuration, you might consider
using the custom JumpStart installation method. Alternatively, you can accomplish
system-specific customizations by using a JumpStart finish script or an embedded
Flash postdeployment script.

Solaris Live Upgrade Method

Upgrading with Solaris Live Upgrade enables a duplicate boot environment
to be upgraded while the active boot environment is still running, thus eliminating
downtime of the production environment. Solaris Live Upgrade can be run with
a GUI or CLI. You first create a duplicate boot environment. After a duplicate
boot environment is created, you can upgrade or install a Solaris Flash
archive on the inactive boot environment. When you are ready, you activate
the inactive boot environment and at the next reboot, the inactive boot environment
is switched to become the active boot environment. If a failure occurs, you
can recover your original boot environment with a simple activate and reboot.

SPARC: Factory JumpStart Installation Method

The JumpStart installation
method automatically installs the Solaris software on a new SPARC system when
you insert the Solaris 9 DVD or Solaris 9 Software 1 of 2 CD into the drive and
turn on the system. A default profile is selected that is based on the model
and disk size of the system. The profile determines which software components
are installed on the system. You are not prompted for system configuration
information and you cannot choose which software is installed.

A JumpStart boot image, which is required to use this installation method,
is preinstalled on all new SPARC based systems. If you have an older SPARC
based system, you can add the JumpStart installation method to the system
by using the re-preinstall(1M)
command. You cannot use the JumpStart installation method on x86
based systems.